Williams E-Z track (O Gauge): Easy enough for kids?

I know that Bachmann/Williams has announced the new E Z track for O gauge and seems to be for sale by WBB.

The Williams by Bachmann sets with track a year ago or more had Industrial Rail (Industrial Rail now owned by Atlas)track in the set, and now that track is not that easy to find new.

Not sure what track the new WBB sets have.

Lee Fritz

Thanks Lee,

Found some Atlas Industrial Rail track listings on EBay, looks similar enough to FasTrack that I'm still wondering if my kid could manage it.

I'm lucky enough to have a LHS, but he doesn't have the Williams EZ track, I'd love to see some before I go and assume it really is "E-Z".

I don't know much about the new E Z track by WBB other then it is for sale.

Some of the new track systems might be easy for your kids to assemble but how will it do after being taken apart & put together many times has to be seen.

I have tried Fastrack and am not impressed enough with it to continue using it.

Even when I had some H.O. trains I used the older Atlas sectional track with track connectors and not the newer E Z track.

I wish my local hobby shop would carry Williams trains but he claims he can't sell Williams trains as most people want Lionel trains.

Lee Fritz

My grandson has an HO Bachmann set with HO EZ Track and I would not call it easy. It's hard to get the pins lined up when putting it together and reliability isn't so good either. For me personally, I would call Fastrack much easier to work with and more reliable as well. I am somewhat biased, I have always thought O gauge 3 rail was a lot more reliable than any HO track I have ever seen. No need for a power feed to each joint of track in O gauge. The Bachmann O gauge track may be better, haven't seen or tried it, but I would not recommend their HO track, that was a big disappointment.

My only complaint with Fastrack was noise. Any track with plastic roadbed will have the same problem. Many have reported Fastrack (or other plastic roadbed track) can be quieted considerably with carpet or something like that under it to absorb the sound. My choice for O gauge was Atlas-O 21st Century track. This may not be so good for carpet layouts being put down and taken up? Multiple assemblies and dis-assemblies may be hard on it?

rtr12,

   I am sold on FasTrack, especially with the Command Control Switches, operated from the Legacy Cab2 remote.  The sound problem with the FT is easily controlled by using the old sound suppression ceiling tile, or double thick inside outside carpet.  Last year I doubled the carpet on part of my layout and could hardly hear the trains running.

I even transition in and out of Atlas Industrial Rail, which comes in some of the Williams Trains sets, as well as many of the Atlas Train sets, it looks & acts almost the same as Lionel FasTrack.  These two kinds of track IMO are probably the easiest for young people to assemble/disassemble, as long as they have strong enough hands. 

However FT & Ind Rail are not size forgiving as you assemble them, you must have the correct size track pieces available to complete layouts.  The mini track pieces that come with the FT switches can be critical to exacting fit up and smooth running.  I have not seen the E Z Atlas track to know how easy or hard it is to construct layouts with. 

PCRR/Dave

I just asked the google "Williams E-Z track reviews" and there is a video of the review by that one toy train magazine.  It is in the May, 2014 issue.  Looks to be very good track.